Water heating accounts for about 20% of a typical American household’s energy use. When your Roanoke, VA, home needs a new water heater, energy efficiency should play a role in your decision of which one to have our plumbers at Roanoke Mechanical Heating & Cooling install in your house. Here’s what you need to know about which type of water heater is the most energy-efficient.
Fuel Type
There are many types of fuel that can be used to power a water heater. Electricity is a common source of power for water heaters. There are conventional storage water heaters, electrical heat pump water heaters, and electric tankless water heaters. Natural gas is the most common source of fuel for water heaters. Heating oil and propane are also available fuel sources. Geothermal and solar water heaters are the most energy-efficient option. Natural gas is the third most-efficient, while electricity is the least-efficient source of fuel for water heaters.
Type of Water Heater
Tankless water heaters are more energy-efficient than conventional storage-tank water heaters. With a tankless water heater, no energy is expended in order to maintain a stored supply of hot water. However, an insulation blanket can give an efficiency boost to a conventional water heater. Look for a water heater with Energy Star certification. These models are 20% more energy-efficient than water heaters without the certificate.
Creating Heat Versus Moving Heat
Heat pump water heaters are more efficient than electrical resistance or gas- or oil-powered water heaters. That’s because heat pump water heaters transfer heat from the air or Earth to the water. You can even get a heat pump that offers heating and cooling for your home’s air and heating for your household’s water.
At Roanoke Mechanical Heating & Cooling, we have a team of trusted experts to install energy-efficient water heaters in Roanoke. Homeowners also count on us for dependable heating and air conditioning maintenance, repair, and replacement services. If you’re an area business owner, our light commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are a great value. To learn more about energy-efficient water heaters, contact us at Roanoke Mechanical Heating & Cooling today.
